Portland Trail Blazers guard CJ McCollum, center, shoots as Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant, left, and Golden State Warriors forward David West defend during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Portland, Ore., Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2018. The Trail Blazers won 123-117.

Durant recently appeared on McCollum’s podcast “Pull Up,” and unleashed a horse laugh at his host’s contention that the Blazers have what it takes to win a championship.

“You know you guys aren’t going to win a championship,” Durant teased McCollum. Not saying it happened this way, but can’t you picture Durant patting the top of his head with both hands while blowing a raspberry?

Actually their conversation was fairly civil considering that McCollum expressed frustration over Durant’s free agent defection to the Warriors two years ago, and Golden State’s recent acquisition of DeMarcus Cousins.

“Why are you mad about this stuff?” Durant asked.

“Bro, I’m in the league,” McCollum said. “What do you mean why am I mad about this stuff? I’m in the Western Conference. I’ve got to play you (expletives) all the time.”

To be fair, McCollum and Oakland product Damian Lillard comprise a superb back court for the Blazers. But only one other Portland player averaged in double figures last season.

“I like you two,” Durant offered. “You’re hard to stop. But I mean, come on.”

To stay on the fairness kick, Portland won 49 games last season — seventh in the league — and the Blazers’ best total in three years. (They then suffered their ninth first-round flame-out in their past 11 postseason appearances).

“We were the third seed last year, bro,” McCollum said. “We were right there, just slightly below one and two.”

Gary Peterson is a sports writer for the Bay Area News Group. His prior assignments included 31 years as a sports columnist, serving as a general assignment news reporter, covering courts and writing a metro column before finding his way back to sports.